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At the rate they’re disappearing, any remaining “Yes on T” signs will become collectors’ items, joked Santa Barbara City Councilmember Dale Francisco.

Claiming that 90 percent of their anti-dispensary placards have been stolen — and pointing to the fact that yet another has been defaced — a group of activists and elected officials held a press conference yesterday to denounce the “marijuana evangelists” who they say are so recklessly pilfering property in an attempt to defeat Measure T, the ballot initiative that would ban all medical cannabis stores in the city.

The anti-pot shop contingent gathered in front of Sebastian Aldana’s East Cota home where, according to community activist Sharon Byrne, three of his “Yes on T” signs were recently yanked out of the ground. Describing his house’s location as “Ground Zero of the Eastside’s dispensary zone” because of its close proximity to three storefronts, Byrne said Aldana is one of the brave Santa Barbara souls who won’t be intimidated by the criminals who blew into our seaside hamlet when city councilmembers passed regulation allowing dispensaries to exist.

Tyler Hayden

Sharon Byrne, center, speaks during the press conference yesterday held in front of the home of Sebastian Aldana, far right.

Aldana said he’s already replaced his signs. Mari Mender, who held her own press conference two weeks ago on the same topic and attended this one, said she quickly put hers back up as well. She even tried to tie one down with rope, but it was gone again the next morning. The most recently vandalized sign on display yesterday, planted in the yard of a house at the corner of Hollister Avenue and Puente Drive, had its “Yes” filled in with red pen and the word “No” written over it in black. “We are not going to be silent while our signs are stolen, set on fire, and defaced,” promised Byrne.

Byrne said she and the campaign team are exasperated by the number of signs they’ve had to replace, claiming that nine out of 10 distributed placards have disappeared and that only three houses that have “Yes on T” signs have not asked for replacements. Representatives, though, could only point to 20 specific lost signs, saying no formal tallies have been conducted. Of the 200 signs that were initially printed (at $4 a pop), more than half were distributed within a week, said Byrne. But they’ve had to keep churning them out, sometimes replacing the same sign as many as six times. No more will be printed, however, as the November 2 election date is so near.

According to Byrne and Mender, people have more than once spotted the perpetrators in the act. They’ve allegedly become so brazen as to carry out their mischief during daylight hours because, as Mender explained, some residents have taken to hiding their signs indoors at night. There’s not one demographic that can be blamed, said Byrne, as “two Latinos” on West Cota Street have been spotted stealing signs and a “middle-aged woman” has been seen running around on East Canon Perdido Street snatching them up as well.

Oftentimes, elaborated Mender, the perps will put their car in neutral as they approach a house, a person will jump out and grab a sign, and they’ll then fire the car back up and speed off without skipping a beat. No one has been caught or prosecuted, said police spokesperson Lt. Paul McCaffrey, as there aren’t a lot of leads as far as identification.

Tyler Hayden (file)

Mari Mender at the press conference held two weeks ago after two of her signs were burned.

Reiterating much of what he said during the press conference held in the wake the the Mender sign-burning incident, Councilmember Francisco said it’s no surprise something like this is happening, as dispensaries inevitably bring with them a criminal element that is out to terrorize everyday citizens. And it’s the Regular Joe, he said, who is fighting for a ban but suffering the consequences. “Yes on Measure T folks are the ordinary folks of Santa Barbara,” he said. “They’re parents, they’re teachers — they’re just normal people. The other side,” he went on, “are marijuana evangelists and marijuana entrepreneurs.”

Byrne concurred, explaining that contributions put toward the effort to ban dispensaries citywide have come from “average citizens” who really don’t want marijuana in the city. On the flip side, she said, the opposition’s money has come from “Marijuana Inc. — the marijuana stores here in town that want to keep making money,” she said. So far, those against Measure T have raised $11,260; supporters have raised $6,750.

Also in attendance yesterday were Councilmembers Michael Self and Frank Hotchkiss. The fact that they showed up to support their constituents, said Byrne, says a lot about their character and dedication to the issue and that the decision to come was in no way self-serving. “There’s no benefit for [them],” she said. “They’re getting tomatoes thrown at them for [attending press conferences like these]. They don’t look like heroes for this.”

Self recounted a conversation she had with Superintendent Brian Sarvis, who purportedly told her that teachers, more and more, are finding kids smoking weed on campus during school hours. “Now, the people on council and others who are supporting marijuana would have triple backflips if the kids were smoking cigarettes,” she said. “There’s a disconnect there.”

Byrne also spoke about the issue of young pupils smoking pot. She referenced a report recently presented to the Board of Supervisors by members of the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse that stated high-schoolers in Santa Barbara use marijuana at a rate 50 percent higher than their peers in the rest of California. She also claimed to have seen two girls under the age of 18 leaving a dispensary the other day.

“What is behind that?” Byrne asked rhetorically. “Could it possibly be that by having dispensaries, by having the marijuana culture going on here, that kids are getting the message it’s okay and permissible and they should do more of it?”

The city has strayed far from what voters intended when they passed the Compassionate Use Act 14 years ago, argued Byrne, as dispensaries have only promoted youth drug use and not helped sick people safely obtain their medicine. If someone is indeed sick, has a permit, and benefits from the effects of ingesting marijuana, Byrne said, they should either grow the weed themselves, have their caregiver do it, or join a collective and obtain their prescription that way. Anything beyond that, she went on, is illegal and shouldn’t be allowed.

“If we’re the only ones allowing marijuana stores, what are we attracting to the city?” she asked, referencing the fact that Santa Barbara is the only city between Thousand Oaks and Santa Cruz that has medical marijuana dispensaries. “All you need to do to answer that question is go on weedmaps.com where out-of-towners write reviews of our dispensaries, and the highs they got, and how great it is now that they’re on the highway back home,” Byrne said.

Now that the "Yes on T" folks have fully revealed themselves as hysterical weenies, insulting thoughtful folks who have opposing views ["The other side,” (Francisco) went on, “is marijuana evangelists and marijuana entrepreneurs.”], and are substituting vague conspiracies and fear-mongering based on prank-level behavior -- twice! -- I'm betting those "Yes on T" signs are going to be **extremely** hard to find between now and election day.

So pinched and over-wrought are these publicity hounds I'm tempted to get off my duff, throw the wagon in neutral, and grab a few myself.

It's the supporters of measure T who are doing this. Come on. Then they call press conferences to trump up a big story so they can be in the news. What a total crock.

There aren't crazy stoners running around town picking up dozens of signs without anyone, anywhere, seeing anything.

But I do like how this article goes quickly from "our signs are missing" into the reasons why medical dispensaries should be outlawed, according to the Reefer Madness people putting on this media show.

All of this compassion for those who have lost YARD SIGNS,yet NO compassion for those that are suffering with cancer, AIDS, MS and many more ailments that are alleviated by the use of marijuana?Shameful. (During the last election, someone pulled my Obama for President signs from my yard. Big deal.)

Your "consolation" that you will allow the sick and dying to grow his own, or hire a caretaker to do so, is an affront.

This is your solution for a stage 4 cancer patient? To figure out how to grow, tend, harvest while they are weak and frail? Are you kidding? How horribly cavalier of you to suggest such a thing.

To be so closed-minded on this issue shows NO compassion.What if you voted to ban all dispensaries, and your sibling or spouse was crippled with a terminal illness? What if the chemo left them weak with no appetite? What if the side effects of the pharmaceuticals cause more harm and discomfort? What if they begged for mercy, for relief, and marijuana could provide them with that? You would deny your loved one? I sincerely hope not.

Just because you, or your family's life has not been touched by such a tragedy, does not mean that others' haven't. Do you deny that legitimately ill people deserve pain relief and comfort?To endorse a total ban for those ADULTS who choose to use marijuana as a form of relief is arrogant, grandiose and controlling.

Children are not permitted in the dispensaries - so it is really a non-issue. Yet you are exploiting your children for the sake of an argument. Please take care in raising YOUR children.

By closing the dispensaries, you are forcing the "collectives" into neighborhoods. Protected by SB420, I may decide to open a "collective" in my home. And maybe I am your neighbor...Don't cut off your nose to spite your face, you may be ultimately voting to pass something that will backfire on your plan to eradicate the use of marijuana. You should look in to those ramifications before you vote...

This issue is about adults using marijuana. About human rights. About one's choice in managing their pain.

The misery of an ill person, is not at all a concern in your arguments. One day it will be. It may be you that is relieved by the effects of marijuana....but by then, it will be too late to apologize to those that you denied, that suffered needlessly because of your need to control.

By banning dispensaries, you are an active participant in the pain and misery of others. Can you live with that?

Okay so they've now supposedly witnessed these acts but no photos (cel phone or otherwise); no license plates, nothing. And where was in 2008 Dale Francisco when pro-Marriage Equality people were having signs vandalized and their property torched? He is a coward and a hypocrite in more ways than one.What is brazen are the pathetic publicity ploys and disinformation campaign of these American Talibs. These are the people who would force their own version of Sharia Law on us all.

As much as leftists have tried to hide the fact, almost all of the political violence since the 1800s (when political violence started) has come from the left. Leftists are also responsible for over a three hundred million dead the last fifty years of the twentieth century.

Yes on T is obviously worried that no one is buying into their misinformation and hysteria, so they have made another desperate attempt to get attention. Two press conferences about yard signs? What about all of the SBCC trustees and congressional office signs that are stolen every day? None of them have held a press conference making vague and baseless allegations at opponents. This is almost as ridiculous as Dr. Wrench's recent claims that we don't need dispensaries because patients can just order marijuana online! Not to mention "She also claimed to have seen two girls under the age of 18 leaving a dispensary the other day." If this is not completely false then I can at least guarantee that they did not leave with any marijuana. The dispensaries are already under constant scrutiny and surveillance by the police. They would never provide marijuana to people under 18 and risk getting raided on the spot. Most have voluntarily agreed to not serve people under 20 a long time ago to address these concerns. On the other hand, drug dealers don't check ID. Banning dispensaries benefits black market drug dealers who will sell children of any age any drug they have. On Tuesday, say yes to safe access, yes to reason, NO to reefer madness, and actually protect our youth by voting NO on Measure T.www.noonmeasuret.com/find-your-pollin...

It is amazing that the 'Yes on T' people don't care about all of the liquor stores and drinking that goes on in this town, for some reason they are caught up trying to bring down a relatively peaceful and intelligent group of people.

I also love how they make yard sign stealing sound akin to rape and murder.. These people are so out of touch with reality, I doubt their votes will make up more than 20%.

Remember to vote 'No on T', we need to show them just how little support their small-minded ideology has in this town.

By the way, asking "the police state" to steal somebody's medicine and throw them in prison is extremely immoral. Voting 'Yes on T' is doing just this. It is an immoral action and these people very well may receive divine justice for their actions, depending on one's personal beliefs regarding spirituality.

Stealing the political signs of those who wish to bring this tyranny onto the populace is only questionably moral.

Lets be honest, Medicine thats what the citizens of California voted for originally and it was exploited so anyone with $100 dollars could get a referral from a shady doctor. The people running the dispensaries are opportunistic drug dealers in it for cash not to help people out.

I voted Yes on T, and doubled down by voting Yes on 19 for legalizing marijuana the best of both worlds. The supporters of the dispensaries would not police themselves so I got tired of the two tiered system that punished people for economic reasons (lack of 100 to pay off the dispensary doctor for a referral) and would just rather have it legal. The people against 19 are the same people against T they want to control the market just like the pharmaceutical companies do.

lol, pointssouth, that doesn't make any sense.. if prop 19 doesn't pass, and T succeeds (which it won't), then even sick people will have to turn to the black market.. If prop 19 passes, then everybody will have access regardless, but voting no on T is a safe way to ensure AT LEAST patients have access.. though there is no legitimate reason why adults should not be able to purchase and consume cannabis, anybody who says otherwise is trying to make decisions for other people that they ought not be making.

I could buy it in any town I visited with no hassle. Didn't need a doctor's recommendation. Didn't pay a sales tax. And didn't have to disclose all my personal information to the dealer. The cops hardly wasted their time busting us or the local dealers.

So maybe some of the money went back across the border and not back into our communities. A small price to pay, if it means less hassle, less oversight, and less law enforcement. AND less stolen lawn signs.

Ah, the good old days when cannabis was completely illegal and nobody cared.

Interestingly I talked to a dispensary supporter who didn't want full legalization of pot citing how unregulated pot would have adverse medical effects. I wonder if it was a case of legalization taking the profit out the dispensary business. I haven't heard anything about the dispensaries giving away the pot free of charge.

They actually do give you a freebie when you go there the first time, and there was one dispensary that gave you points for every purchase which accumalated into more free medicine. Now that is more than any other pharmacy has done for me.